Gold Rush of Short Dramas: “Overbearing CEOs” Move West, Hengdian Faces a Surprise Takeover

The era of vertical screen warfare has entered a fierce three-way showdown, and with it, a massive migration in the short drama production world. In Xi’an’s High-Tech Zone, an unassuming 20-story office building has earned a new nickname: the “Mini Hengdian.” Step inside, and you’ll find a different drama unfolding on nearly every floor. On the second floor, a “housemaid” reveals her true identity as a wealthy heiress. Upstairs, a tense business war is raging in the CEO’s office. Meanwhile, a patient in the fifth-floor hospital ward is about to time travel 500 years into the past.

Welcome to the Fuxi AI Film Center, one of Xi’an’s largest short drama production hubs. Since opening in March, it has hosted an average of 200 film crews per month. The former office building now contains fully equipped sets—from hospitals and schools to bars and luxury homes—while upper floors handle copyright trading, animation, and film training.

Similar transformations are taking place in Zhengzhou, where the 20,000-square-meter, 80-million-yuan Galaxy Ancient Costume Short Drama Base recently opened its doors. Built with over 30 Tang and Song dynasty sets, it can accommodate up to five film crews a day. “Previously, most period dramas had to travel to Hengdian for shooting,” says base manager Zhu Li. Even bigger is Jumei Konggang, founded by Chen Ou—the entrepreneur behind Jumei.com. “Many Beijing production teams now prefer shooting in Zhengzhou,” he said. Here, dozens of crews simultaneously churn out short dramas every day, mass-producing tales of dominant CEOs and sweet love stories.

Over the past year, the explosive rise of short dramas has triggered a dramatic shift in China’s film industry. Cities like Xi’an and Zhengzhou, armed with unbeatable cost advantages, are now competing head-to-head with Hengdian, long known as the Hollywood of the East. While Hengdian’s rental rates can reach tens of thousands of yuan per day, studios in Xi’an and Zhengzhou charge as little as 300 yuan per hour or 3,000 yuan per day.

Labor is another edge. Scriptwriter Ren Xiaohan, who teaches at Xi’an University of Arts and Sciences, notes that local students and part-time workers help cut costs dramatically. “In Hengdian, a background actor with a few lines earns about 200 yuan a day. In Xi’an, I can recruit students for 100 yuan and a boxed meal—they see it as a fun experience,” says a Xi’an-based producer.

In 2023, Hengdian thrived under the short drama boom, with nearly 100 crews shooting simultaneously on some days. But by 2024, skyrocketing production costs—rising from 50,000 yuan per show to several hundred thousand—forced filmmakers to rethink strategy. “The competition pushed everyone to improve—better acting, better direction, better editing,” says Huang Shang, founder of Dongyang Qingying Media.

That’s when Xi’an and Zhengzhou began their ascent—offering lower costs, convenient transport, and rich filming locations. The short drama “Three Kingdoms” had begun, and there’s no clear winner yet. Industry insiders agree: short dramas revived Hengdian. After years of decline, thousands of film companies had closed their doors. But the short drama boom reignited production. By early 2023, hundreds of micro-crews filled Hengdian’s hotels, studios, and streets.

Newcomers like Zheng Wei, a recent graduate, joined the wave hoping for her big break—only to find limited opportunities and low pay. Meanwhile, others like Liu Zhi, a “casting head,” seized the moment by recruiting extras for quick-pay short drama shoots known as cash jobs. Soon, cash dramas turned into a gold rush. Titles like The Unparalleled earned over 100 million yuan in eight days, while Oh My Queen! brought in 12 million yuan in 24 hours.

Demand exploded. Hengdian’s once-idle buildings were transformed into short drama studios, each floor housing multiple sets—from CEO offices to hospital wards. By 2024, short drama crews outnumbered long-form ones two to one. From January to July 2025 alone, over 2,300 short drama crews filmed in Hengdian.

The short drama boom reshaped Hengdian’s industrial ecosystem. Just two years ago, micro-dramas could be shot in three days using handheld cameras. Now, production budgets have soared, and crews average 40 to 50 members. Costs for sets, costumes, lighting, and logistics have all surged. To keep up, Hengdian evolved. Classic studio parks were repurposed into modern short drama bases, replacing ancient palace backdrops with sleek offices and luxury apartments.

Actors adapted too. New recruits trained in fast emotions and explosive delivery. One actress, Liu Yitong, saw her daily pay rise from 300 yuan to 1,500 yuan in a year—top-tier leads now command up to 30,000 yuan per day. “Everything here runs on a 24-hour production line,” says producer Tu Guanghao. “Seven days to shoot, ten to edit, fifteen to release.”

But even efficiency has limits. Rising costs have driven many production teams to seek cheaper alternatives—and that’s where Xi’an and Zhengzhou come in. Zhengzhou’s rise is rooted in its practical, business-driven logic. Once dominated by livestreamers and digital marketers, local studios now apply the same cost-control mindset to short dramas. Here, production teams shoot in real offices, apartments, and shopping malls—no need to build expensive sets. What began as ad hoc filming in sales centers and showrooms soon evolved into dedicated short drama parks.

Producer Meng Tao even partnered with property developers to build themed sets within luxury villa compounds, turning real estate into ready-made film studios. Meanwhile, Xi’an followed a similar trajectory. The city’s diverse urban landscapes—from modern high-rises to Tang-style streets—attracted producers seeking visual variety.

The local short drama scene took off after the viral success of The Unparalleled, a Xi’an-made hit rumored to have earned 100 million yuan on a 500,000 yuan budget. The city quickly became a production magnet, fueling jobs for local actors, students, and gig workers. Xi’an’s unique “fragment drama” tradition also provided a ready talent pool. Local performers from dialect-based short skits transitioned smoothly into micro-dramas, giving Xi’an productions a distinct regional flavor and loyal audience base.

Today, Xi’an and Zhengzhou dominate China’s short drama map. According to the 2024 China Short Drama Industry White Paper, 60 out of 100 top micro-dramas were produced in Xi’an. And the race isn’t slowing down. Cities like Hangzhou, Chongqing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Nanning are investing heavily in subsidies and studio infrastructure, all vying for the title of China’s Short Drama Capital.

With market size expected to hit 63.4 billion yuan by 2025, this vertical screen revolution has only just begun. The cameras are rolling, the sets are multiplying, and the battle for China’s short drama throne is far from over.